Aussie Paper: Pope Quit Over Sex Abuse Scandals?

In yet another effort at reading tealeaves, a newspaper in Australia claimed that Pope Benedict “may” have stepped down because of the sex abuse scandals that have engulfed the Catholic Church for decades.

Without any actual proof, the Herald Sun of Melbourne has decided on the word of one Priest that “one of the reasons” the Pope announced his pending resignation as leader of his Church is because of the “widespread sexual abuse within the Catholic Church” that has beset the Church.

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Father Max Vodola imagines that Pope Benedict might be feeling taxed by addressing the sex scandals he has confronted since becoming Pope.

Father Vodola told the Herald Sun, “trying to correct the errors that went as far back as 50 years would be an immense shame and embarrassment, and would require the right protocols in place to deal with it.”

“This may have been one contributing factor in his resignation if he doesn’t have the energy to deal with this on a level … it would be very difficult,” he said.

Benedict has certainly gone out of his way to address the many years of sex abuse cases that has been mounting for decades.

But Pope Benedict told his flock that his flagging energy was the reason he was stepping down.

“Strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me,” the Pope said.

The Pope made no mention of the sex abuse scandals as a cause of his resignation, nor has anyone else inside the Vatican. All theses “may haves,” and “might bes” are an awful lot of wild conjecture based on no evidence.